The present invention relates to a gull wing aircraft. More particularly, the invention relates to an aircraft having a gull wing and lacking an empennage.
An aircraft lacking an empennage is lighter in weight than one having an empennage and is thus useful in many applications where the weight saving would be of great value. An aircraft lacking an empennage, more specifically, a vertical stabilizer however, has a great problem of providing adequate directional stability and control. The only type of aircraft which can achieve such stability and control is a flying wing. If a flying wing is properly designed, it can provide neutral directional stability, using camber and twist and directional control with split wing tip flaps. Such a design imposes a severe limit on the maneuverability of the aircraft, especially directionally and laterally, and requires a large span wing.
The principal object of the invention is to provide a vehicle devoid of an empennage, but having adequate directional stability and control.
An object of the invention is to provide an aircraft devoid of an empennage, but of simple structure, which aircraft has stability and control in all three axes, including directional.
Another object of the invention is to provide a gull wing aircraft having a weight saving and having stability and control in all three axes.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a gull wing aircraft, lacking an empennage, but having fully adequate directional stability and control.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a gull wing vehicle, lacking an empennage, which aircraft provides positive directional stability for changes in aircraft sideslip due to changes in the local angle of attack on the wing surfaces.
Another object of the invention is to provide an aircraft, lacking an empennage, which aircraft provides positive directional stability for increase or decrease in lift due to the sweep angle of the wing.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle devoid of an empennage, but having a directionally stable, or near directionally stable, platform.